T

he aroma of incense that diffused the Teater Jakarta last weekend brought back sweet memories that only such scents can trigger.

One whiff was all it took for the audience of Matah Ati to travel back in time to 18th century Java, at which time Indonesian warriors’ swords clashed with those of the Dutch.

While that was a time when blood, sweat and tears poured from the centuries of struggle, love persisted. We may have heard that “all is fair in love and war”, but not many performances have depicted what happens when the two intersect in the way Matah Ati does.

Based on a true story set in the Mangkunegaran Palace in Surakarta, Central Java, Matah Ati tells the story of the struggle and discovery of love by Rubiyah, a young woman who fought against Dutch colonizers alongside Raden Mas Said or Prince Sambernyowo. The play was inspired by the Langendriyan — a presentation of classic dances in the Mangkunegaran style accompanied by Javanese songs as a form of visual expression — which originated from the Mangkunegaran Palace during the reign of Prince Mangkunegoro IV.

All but one of the entire 17 acts were presented with Javanese songs and music. Through the striking batik costumes, dances, music, lighting, and special effects, it was hard not to be wowed by the colossal epic. It is perhaps even more difficult for the Indonesian audience not to be proud of their roots.

Even the archipelago’s neighbor, Singapore, the country where Matah Ati first debuted last year in October, was very moved by the play. There, audiences of all ages gave a roaring standing ovation as the play ended at the renowned Esplanade Theater.

Performed on a metal stage — sloped at 15 degrees with an electronic trap door — Matah Ati guarantees that every member of the audience could observe the most intricate details of the masterpiece.

“[Matah Ati] is enveloped in the solid foundation of the Mangkunegaran Palace traditions, in the shape of classical Javanese dances and songs. The challenge was how to make a production that actually promotes cultural appreciation, carries meaning and yet is still fascinating to watch,” said Atilah Soeryadjaya, the creator, writer and director of the epic.

Atilah’s concern is understandable. During the last few decades, the Indonesian art scene has not aroused much of the nation’s public interest. Despite possessing hundreds, perhaps even thousands of fascinating historical tales, not many nationally or internationally acclaimed plays, films or books have been adapted from them.

Trading their Indonesian heritage for foreign, Hollywood-esque culture, very few Indonesians have actually explored, promoted and preserved their own.

Thus, in order for Matah Ati to be an appealing cultural spectacle, the production team involved veteran artist and artistic director Jay Subyakto, who has past experience in similar performances.

Atilah and Jay, together with the choreographers and musical and stage directors, conducted extensive research and immersed themselves in in-depth discussions before coming up with Matah Ati’s current presentation. Various cultural references employed in the show are derived from the actual sites Rubiyah and Raden Mas Said have visited in their lives, in addition to the Mangkunegaran Palace library.

“The hardest challenge [that the Matah Ati team faced] was performing in our own country. This was because of the lack of appreciation for [Indonesian culture],” said Jay.

He added, “The reason for our decision to premier [Matah Ati] in Singapore was because we wanted to make [Indonesians] realize that their nation’s own cultural performances had gained international approval.”

Since performing at the Esplanade Theater in Singapore, the Matah Ati team has been invited to perform in the Philippines, the Netherlands and China. The play is currently scheduled for three performances in the Mangkunegaran Palace garden in Surakarta, which will run from Sept. 8 to 10. The Sept. 9 show will close the 30th Federation of Asian Cultural Promotion (FACP) conference, which will be attended by participants from 50 countries.

According to the production’s coordinator, Inet Leimana, Matah Ati’s Surakarta performances will be “completely different”. We will have a much bigger stage, more dancers and an outdoor setting,” she said.

Asked about the possibility of Matah Ati being performed throughout the year a la Broadway, Jay answered with a smile, “That is what we would really like to do [...] However, to do something that resembles Broadway requires at least three shows, so that the [Indonesian] theater industry would come ‘alive’ and be profitable.”

He also expressed his hope in being able to witness new, highly acclaimed Indonesian shows in the coming years to generate pride within the nation’s younger generations of their national heritage. After all, the first step toward preserving Indonesia’s cultural heritage is to teach others (and definitely ourselves) to be proud of their roots.

As the cast and crew said, “Tiji tibeh, mati siji, mati kabeh – mukti siji mukti kabeh!” (One dies, everyone dies – one victorious, everyone victorious!)